Dhenupureeswarar Temple,Madambakkam,Chennai

LocationTHE SMALL and little-known suburb of Madambakkam, situated close to Tambaram, is home to a very ancient temple dedicated to Lord Siva, known here as Lord Dhenupureeswarar. Tucked away from the din and bustle of the crowded Chennai is a tiny verdant hamlet called Madambakkam near Tambaram.This ancient temple is Nestled amidst velvet green paddy fields and tucked away from the crowded chennai.

The temple is the centre of attraction to madambakkam.It provides a divine environment and serenity to the madambakkam village.

HistoryThis temple, dating back to more than a thousand years, was built during the reign of the Chola king, Parantaka II, also known as Sundara Chola (956-973 A.D.), father of Rajaraja Chola I, who constructed the famous Brihadeeswara temple in Thanjavur.

The residents of madambakkam enjoy the ambient environment everyday as its a healthy sight to see a lot of walkers and joggers in their tracksuits and shoes. This are is gifted with a sweet perenial ground water.

DescriptionThe main sanctum of this temple, which houses the presiding deity Lord Dhenupureeswara in linga form, faces east. Unlike most shrines, which are square or rectangular in plan, this one is apsidal in shape (called gajaprishta vimana in Sanskrit), a feature found in some Chola temples in and around Chennai.

There are beautiful sculptures of Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Vishnu, Brahma and Goddess Durga in the niches of the outer walls of the sanctum. Also seen nearby are shrines for Lord Ganesha, Sri Varadaraja Perumal with Sri Devi and Bhu Devi, Sri Kapilanathar and Annapurani and Sivasubrahmanya with Valli and Deivanai.

The sanctum of Goddess Dhenukambal, situated close to the main shrine, faces south and has a separate entrance in front. There are a number of cylindrical pillars in front of this shrine with beautifully carved bases. Adjacent to it is a large temple tank now brimming with water.

PopularityNot many people use to visit this temple,until 1989-90.It was barely lighted and was pitch dark even in day time, with threat of snakes moving in and around.All of a sudden with the discovery of a diety "sarabeswarar" in one of the pillars,drew crowd from many parts of Chennai and outskirts. A huge score of devotees in and around chennai throng this temple on every Sunday evening to be a part of the ceremonial pooja done to glorify the lord sarabeswara, the lord rewards for your faith and consistency by bringing your dreams and wishes into a reality. It is believed that regular darshans to "Sarabeswarar" on

The temple's popularity grew on this count. Best time to visit and appreciate the peaceful serene of this temple is any Non-sunday.

Many important festivals like Pradosham and Panguni Uttiram are celebrated in this temple. During Navarathri, which begins from September 26, many devotees visit this shrine to offer special pujas. This beautifully maintained temple-complex, situated in serene surroundings, is a protected monument under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India.

How to ReachThis temple is 5 Km from East Tambaram. From there ‘51G’, ‘51K’ Buses available, From T.Nagar “5 A” cut Bus is available